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	194 million children born between now and 2030 will suffer from stunted growth by Save the Children, IRC, UNICEF   Sep. 2023   An estimated 194 million children born between now and 2030 will have stunted growth unless world leaders gathering at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit urgently accelerate progress towards meeting the goals, says Save the Children.   The latest findings from Save the Children’s new data visualization tool, the Child Atlas [childatlas.org], expose the grim consequences of global inaction in addressing rising levels of malnutrition, which countries committed to end in SDG2 on zero hunger.   If current stunting trends persist, nearly one newborn on average will be stunted every second over the next seven years.   Stunting damages growth and development in children who are under nourished or have poor nutrition and can have devastating lifelong effects—making them more susceptible to disease and infection and damaging their physical and cognitive development.   Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are expected to bear the heaviest burden, estimated to account for 86 million cases of stunting for children born between 2023 and 2030, followed closely by South Asia with 67 million cases. The Eastern Asia and Pacific region is set to witness nearly 22 million stunted children, while the Middle East and North Africa brace for 9.6 million cases, and Latin and Central America anticipate 6.7 million children facing stunted growth.   Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stand among the top four countries expected to face the highest levels of stunting in the next seven years with over 25% of their populations currently experiencing crisis levels of hunger.   The Child Atlas also found that more than half of projected stunting cases to children born in the next seven years will happen to children living in the poorest 40% of households, underscoring the impact of extreme poverty on children’s development.   While stunting has steadily decreased since 2000, progress has fallen short of the internationally agreed targets of 100 million cases by 2025 or to eradicate all forms of malnutrition by 2030.   Nana Ndeda, Head of Advocacy and Policy for Hunger at Save the Children, said:   “About 194 million children born between now and 2030 will suffer from stunted growth–nearly one child every second for the next seven years. That’s more than all the children under 18 currently living in the G7 countries combined.   “The silent crisis of stunting speaks volumes about how much work is still needed to address the global hunger crisis to reach the SDGs by 2030. If we do not eradicate all forms of malnutrition in the next seven years, an entire generation of children will suffer the ripple effects of hunger. Children must be at the forefront of all decisions at next week’s UNGA; their futures depend on it.   “Although immediate funding is critical to saving lives now, we need longer-term solutions and changes to systems that will stop this crisis from recurring. Reactive humanitarian funding is too slow, unreliable, costly and ultimately ineffective to tackle the complex crises of today. World leaders must invest in early warning systems and disaster preparedness to better prepare for future shocks and mitigate the impacts before it is too late.   We also need world leaders to commit to an overhaul of the global financial systems to unlock the finance needed at scale to deliver the SDGs for all people everywhere, in line with the pledge to Leave No One Behind.”   Save the Children is calling on world leaders at the UNGA to address the root causes of acute food and nutrition insecurity. Only by putting an end to global conflict, by tackling the climate crisis and global inequality, and by building more resilient health, nutrition and social protection systems that are less vulnerable to shocks like COVID-19, will we be able to ensure the same warnings are not ringing out again in the coming years.   The child right’s organisation is also calling for greater collaboration, dialogue and investment across sectors with, and leadership by, local communities, to bolster response planning and implementation, as well as our abilities to act early and prevent predictable shocks from turning into crises. Save the Children is also calling on world leaders to scale up low-cost interventions to prevent and treat malnutrition: community-based treatment for acute malnutrition, supporting and protecting breastfeeding, and investing in community and primary-level healthcare.   http://www.savethechildren.net/news/global-goals-nearly-one-child-born-every-second-faces-risk-stunted-growth-2030-without-action# http://www.childatlas.org/blog/sdg-summit-must-unlock-new-financing-and-raise-ambition http://www.childatlas.org/   Sep. 2023   No More Deaths From Wasting: Changing How the World Fights Acute Child Malnutrition, report from International Rescue Committee   Two million children under five years old die every year from acute malnutrition, otherwise known as wasting. Wasting is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths in children under the age of five worldwide and increases the risk of childhood mortality 12-fold among kids under five, making it one of the top threats to child survival globally.   But deaths due to wasting are preventable. A proven solution, involving shelf-stable, fortified peanut paste known as Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), exists that helps 92% of acutely malnourished children recover. But 4 in 5 children in need of this treatment still do not have access to this life-saving remedy.   As the global food security picture heading into 2024 looks especially ominous, preventing famine-like conditions and increased child mortality from acute malnutrition must be a top priority. There is an urgent need to save the lives of the most vulnerable— children under five years old—as global food insecurity and malnutrition risks increase.   The international community has an opportunity to make deaths from wasting a crisis of the past. But the current global approach isn’t working, and far too many children are suffering the consequences.   http://www.rescue.org/report/no-more-deaths-wasting-changing-how-world-fights-acute-child-malnutrition   Sep. 2023   Two-thirds of global goals for children’s rights and well-being off-pace to meet 2030 target - UNICEF   At the halfway mark towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), two-thirds of child-related indicators are off-pace to meet their targets, according to a new UNICEF report: Progress on Children's Well-Being: Centring child rights in the 2030 Agenda.   “Seven years ago, the world pledged to eradicate poverty, hunger, and inequality, and to ensure that everyone – especially children – has access to quality basic services,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But at the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda, we are running out of time to turn the promise of the SDGs into reality. The consequences of not meeting the goals will be measured in children’s lives and the sustainability of our planet. We must get back on track, and that starts with putting children at the forefront of accelerated action to reach the SDGs.”   The world is still grappling with the effects of multiple crises – COVID-19, climate change, conflict, and economic crises – halting or reversing years of progress. Notably, over the past few years, the pandemic directly contributed to a historic breakdown in immunisation services, and learning poverty increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries. Goals related to protection from harm, learning, and a life without poverty are the furthest from their targets.   To realize the 2030 targets, countries need to accelerate progress. Evidence shows that investing in child rights drives and sustains results for all societies, people, and the planet, as interventions in children’s early years go the furthest toward eradicating hunger, poverty, poor health, and inequality.   UNICEF is calling on countries to put child rights at the heart of their agendas and to significantly increase and safeguard social spending in areas such as health, education, and social protection. Governments and the international community should also increase investments to develop and implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.   “We can renew and refocus our efforts and make the world a fairer and healthier place for all. But to do so, world leaders must become champions for children and put child rights at the heart of their domestic policy and budgeting agendas”, added Russell   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/two-thirds-global-goals-childrens-rights-and-well-being-pace-meet-2030-target-unicef http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/number-children-without-critical-social-protection-increasing-globally http://www.unicef.org/documents/urgent-need-for-universal-social-protection http://tinyurl.com/2p9dcenu Visit the related web page
	The world is falling short of achieving gender equality by UN Women, agencies   March 2024   On International Women’s Day, UN Women calls for the world to “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress” as the best way to accelerate economic growth and build more prosperous, equitable societies.   This is particularly urgent when war and crisis are eroding the achievements of decades of investments in gender equality. From the Middle East to Haiti, Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, women pay the biggest price for conflicts that are not of their making. The need for peace has never been more urgent.   Climate change is accelerating persistent poverty gaps. As competition for scarce resources intensifies, livelihoods are threatened, societies become more polarized, and women bear an increasingly heavy burden:   1 in every 10 women in the world lives in extreme poverty. The number of women and girls living in conflict-affected areas doubled since 2017, now, more than 614 million women and girls live in conflict-affected areas. In conflict areas, women are 7.7 times more likely to live in extreme poverty.   Climate change is set to leave 236 million more women and girls hungry by 2030, twice as many as men (131 million). At prime working age, only 61 per cent of women are in the labour force versus 90 per cent of men.   We cannot continue to miss out on the gender-equality dividend. More than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments prioritized education and family planning, fair and equal wages, and expanded social benefits.   Almost 300 million jobs could be created by 2035 through investments in care services, such as provision of daycare and elderly care. And closing gender employment gaps could boost gross domestic product per capita by 20 per cent across all regions.   The current reality is far from this. Programmes dedicated to gender equality represent only 4 per cent of official development assistance. An additional USD 360 billion in developing countries is needed per year to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. This is less than one fifth of the USD 2.2 trillion spent globally on military expenditure in 2022, for example.   The areas needing investment are clear and understood. First and foremost there must be an investment in peace. Beyond this, the investments needed include: laws and policies that advance the rights of women and girls; transformation of social norms that pose barriers to gender equality; guaranteeing women’s access to land, property, health care, education, and decent work; and financing women’s groups networks at all levels.   UN Women is also calling on Member States at the Commission on the Status of Women, starting in New York on 11 March 2024, to back up their commitments on gender equality with resources.   The world’s leaders have this opportunity to develop concrete and progressive agreed conclusions that reflect the crucial need for financing gender equality, women’s empowerment, and women´s organizations. They must seize it for the sake of equality, our planet, and the Sustainable Development Goals.   http://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/international-womens-day   Sep. 2023   The world is falling short of achieving gender equality. (UN Women, agencies)   “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2023” shows that urgent, determined action is needed to realize true gender equality.   This annual review by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs examines the state of gender equality within the framework of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. At the current rate, we risk leaving more than 340 million women and girls in abject poverty by 2030, and an alarming 4 per cent could grapple with extreme food insecurity by that year.   Even with significant progress in certain sectors, as we approach the halfway mark of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, monumental challenges remain:   Goal 1: No poverty: The report forecasts that by 2030, 8 per cent of the global female population (approximately 342 million women and girls) will continue to live on less than USD 2.15 a day. Only 42 per cent of countries have sex-disaggregated poverty data readily available, impeding targeted interventions.   Goal 2: Zero hunger: While progress in narrowing the gender gap in food insecurity has been made, roughly 24 per cent of women and girls may still experience moderate to severe food insecurity by 2030. Gender disparities in agriculture persist, with limited access to land, resources, and ownership affecting productivity.   Goal 3: Good health and well-being: While maternal mortality reduced globally from 2000 to 2020, progress has stagnated since 2015. High maternal death rates in sub-Saharan Africa and Central/Southern Asia highlight inequalities in healthcare access and quality.   Goal 4: Quality education: Increases in girls’ enrolment in education are commendable, but nearly 110 million girls and young women could remain out of school by 2030 if progress stalls. Gender gaps in education and training opportunities persist, affecting future earning potential and overall development.   Goal 5: Gender equality: Gender equality sees limited progress, with just two of this goal’s indicators nearing their targets. No indicator has fully met its aim.   Deep-seated biases persist, marked by unequal health access, unequal political representation, economic gaps, and inadequate legal defences. Critical data for monitoring progress is missing in many countries. Furthermore, 28 countries do not recognize women’s equal rights in marriage and divorce. Globally, 19 per cent of young women are married before age 18, and there is a notable disparity in leadership roles.   A significant investment of an additional USD 360 billion annually is crucial to achieving gender equality, a cornerstone to meet broader sustainable development objectives.   Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: While more women now have access to safe drinking water, around 380 million women and girls live amid high or critical water stress, a number projected to increase to 674 million by 2050 due to climate change.   Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy: Approximately 341 million women and girls could lack access to electricity by 2030, with clean cooking fuels remaining out of reach for many. Universal electricity could elevate 185 million women and girls from poverty by 2050, and modern cookstoves could prevent 6.5 million pollution-related deaths.   Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth: Disrupted careers, care responsibilities, and wage discrimination mean women only earn a third of the global income generated by labour. For each dollar men earned in labour income, women earned only 51 cents. The gender wage gap and underrepresentation of women in the labour force continue, indicating the need for policy reforms to ensure equitable opportunities and wages.   Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure: Women hold 21 per cent of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) jobs and only one in three researchers is a woman. Gender disparities in technology and innovation persist, hindering women’s participation in STEM fields and impeding progress in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.   Goal 10: Reduced inequalities: Gender discrimination comes in many forms and remains commonplace, undermining human rights. According to latest available data, up to 21 per cent of people living with HIV reported being denied health care in the past 12 months, and up to 26 per cent of women living with HIV reported that their treatment for the virus was conditional on taking contraceptives.   Goal 11: Sustainable cities: By 2050, urban areas are expected to house 70 per cent of the world’s female population, totalling 3.3 billion. Alarming trends suggest a third of these women and girls could find themselves living in inadequate housing or slums.   Moreover, women with disabilities, representing approximately 18 per cent of the female population, face heightened challenges. A 2022 study indicated that a mere 27 per cent of 190 countries and regions explicitly protected the rights of women with disabilities.   Goals 12–15: Responsible production and consumption, climate action, life below water, life on land: Up to 158 million more women and girls might find themselves in poverty by mid-century due to worsening conditions fuelled by global warming. An alarming 236 million more women and girls may experience food insecurity, compared to 131 million men and boys.   Despite these numbers, only 55 of the world’s national climate action plans include gender-specific adaptation measures, and only 23 recognize the vital role of women as change agents in the fight against climate change.   Goal 16: Peace and strong institutions: Since 2017, the number of women and girls in conflict-ridden areas has surged by 50 per cent, tallying up to 614 million by 2022. In 2023, those in extremely fragile areas were especially vulnerable, facing higher poverty rates and increased food insecurity. Intimate partner violence is 2.4 times higher in extremely fragile contexts compared to non-fragile settings.   Goal 17: Partnerships: A dire need for enhanced financial backing exists in countries where gender equality lags the most. The yearly budget dedicated to gender equality as a principal objective remains low at USD 5.7 billion, just 4 per cent of total bilateral aid. This minimal support, coupled with the fact that only one in four countries actively tracks gender equality funding, underscores the challenges faced in achieving parity.   As the world’s population ages, older women’s challenges and contributions are often overlooked. Discrimination, economic insecurity, and violence plague older women, necessitating policies that support their engagement, healthcare, and well-being.   The “Gender snapshot 2023” underscores that gender equality is slipping further away, with various Sustainable Development Goals still far from achieving their targets.   Urgent, coordinated efforts are imperative to accelerate progress by 2030, with enhanced funding, data tracking, policy reforms, and inclusive partnerships being key drivers of transformative change. The report’s findings serve as a call for action to ensure that the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is fulfilled, leaving no woman or girl behind.   Gender equality is not just a goal within the 2030 Agenda,” says Maria-Francesca Spatolisano, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs of UN DESA. “It is the very foundation of a fair society, and a goal upon which all other goals must stand. By breaking down the barriers that have hindered the full participation of women and girls in every aspect of society, we unleash the untapped potential that can drive progress and prosperity for all.”   Ms. Sarah Hendriks, UN Women Deputy Executive Director, said: “In this critical midpoint moment for the SDGs, this year’s report is a resounding call to action. We must collectively and intentionally act now to course-correct for a world where every woman and girl has equal rights, opportunities, and representation".   http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2023/09/global-gender-equality-in-2023-urgent-efforts-needed-to-reach-2030-goals http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2023/09/the-11-biggest-hurdles-for-womens-equality-by-2030 http://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2023/09/progress-on-the-sustainable-development-goals-the-gender-snapshot-2023 http://hdr.undp.org/content/2023-gender-social-norms-index-gsni#/indicies/GSNI http://www.unicef.org/mena/press-releases/geneva-summit-garners-action-tackle-gender-discriminatory-nationality-laws http://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2023/06/working-group-discrimination-against-women-and-girls-calls-feminist-human-rights-based http://www.who.int/news/item/17-07-2023-who-addresses-violence-against-women-as-a-gender-equality-and-health-priority http://www.thelancet.com/commission/peace-health-equity-gender-equality http://www.care.org/news-and-stories/resources/growth-is-not-enough/ Visit the related web page
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